Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
Short answer: No — Amateur Radio is not in a broad decline. Current FCC license data shows more than 734,000 active amateur radio licenses in the United States, which remains a very large and active community. While participation styles have changed over the years, there is no evidence of a collapse in the hobby. The focus has simply shifted as technology and operating interests evolve. (ARRL)
📡 What the data shows
U.S. amateur radio license numbers remain strong at roughly 734,000 active licenses in 2026, showing that Amateur Radio continues to maintain a substantial operator base nationwide. Worldwide participation is still commonly estimated in the millions, and activity levels continue to move with solar conditions, contest seasons, DX activity, emergency events, and operating preferences. What many people see is not a decline, but a change in how operators participate. (ARRL)
📈 Where growth is happening
- Digital modes such as FT8, FT4, JS8Call, VARA, and Winlink continue to attract operators.
- Software Defined Radio (SDR), satellite operations, portable operating, Parks on the Air (POTA), and experimentation remain popular entry points.
- Emergency communications, preparedness groups, ARES participation, and public service events continue bringing in new licensees.
- Youth outreach, STEM programs, maker communities, and classroom projects are helping introduce Amateur Radio to younger audiences.
📉 Why some people think the hobby is shrinking
The perception usually comes from changes in activity rather than fewer operators:
- Some local clubs have smaller in-person attendance than in past decades.
- Traditional HF voice communities tend to have older demographics.
- Many operators have shifted from long ragchews to digital contacts, portable operations, or online coordination.
- Fewer brick-and-mortar ham stores make the hobby seem quieter than it was in the 1980s and 1990s.
- More activity now happens through digital systems, SDRs, remote stations, satellites, and portable events.
🧭 Bottom line
Amateur Radio is evolving, not disappearing. License numbers remain high, technology continues to expand the hobby, and new interests such as digital modes, emergency communications, SDR, satellites, POTA, and experimentation are bringing fresh energy into the community. The hobby looks different than it did decades ago, but it remains active, relevant, and technically innovative.
Sources: FCC license data and current statistics from the ARRL license count reports. (ARRL)
Field Day is just around the corner, and we are looking forward to a fantastic weekend of amateur radio, great food, and fellowship!
Field Day Food Donation – $10 per person for both days!
Thanks to the generosity of a club member, a portion of the food expenses has already been covered, allowing us to keep the suggested donation at just $10 per person for the entire Field Day weekend, whether you attend one day or both.
Throughout the weekend, our Hospitality Team, led by Jean-Marie Basting and Cara Jackson, will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, snacks, cold drinks, and refreshments.
On Saturday noon, Leonardo Baldi, K4ITA, will once again treat us to his delicious homemade Italian pizza, while Ricki Witte, KJ4FSJ, will be bringing her famous homemade chili — both longtime GCARA Field Day favorites.
LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HELP WITH:
Education: Presentations, GOTA Coaching, Youth Engagement, Radio Operations. General Help: Cable Management, Shade / Tent Support, Battery Swaps, Runner / Misc. Tasks, End‑of‑Event Food Area Cleanup. Demonstrations: HF, VHF/UHF, Digital, CW
PLEASE RSVP AND VOLUNTEER WITH THIS FORM
Field Day is ham radio’s open house. Every June, more than 31,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.
The South Florida DX Association in Fort Lauderdale invites all DX’ers to our meeting on Wednesday,
May 6, 2026 at 7:00PM. Eyeball QSO’s start at 6:30PM!
Topic: “The KP5/NP3VI Desecheo Island DXpedition – A History Making Amateur Radio Adventure”
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary@w4bug.org
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
DX Commander Callum McCormick (M0MCX) gives W4BUG presentation Mar 25, 2022
Dear Fellow Ham,
You are invited to our upcoming GCARA General Meeting:
Tuesday, April 28th
7:00 PM
Broward Health North – Conference Center (across from main entrance)
This will be an in-person meeting only.
We are pleased to have our own Jeff K4BH as guest speaker presenting:
“Computer Logging for the Technically Challenged”
This is not only valuable for the upcoming Summer Field Day, but also for everyday QSOs
Helping you track contacts, work toward awards, and keep accurate logs.
Coffee and donuts will be available.
We look forward to seeing you there!
73,
Dirk Basting, N4AN
Treasurer
Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association (GCARA)
This year we came in with the highest score and took first place in the 3 radio outdoor category as N4FL.
While the ARRL Field Day in June is the “big one” for many, Winter Field Day (WFD) has become a massive favorite for operators who want to test their gear (and themselves) in much tougher conditions.
Winter Field Day 2026 Details
- Dates: Saturday, January 24 – Sunday, January 25, 2026.
- Time: The 30-hour period starts at 16:00 UTC (11:00 AM EST) on Saturday and ends at 21:59 UTC (4:59 PM EST) on Sunday.
- Sponsor: It is organized by the Winter Field Day Association (WFDA), a completely separate entity from the ARRL.
How is it different from ARRL Field Day?
While both events focus on emergency preparedness and portable operation, they have distinct “personalities”:
1. The Goal: Public Outreach vs. Weather Adversity
- ARRL (Summer): A huge part of the June event is public relations. Clubs often set up in high-traffic parks, invite local officials, and earn bonus points for media coverage. It’s a “show and tell” for the hobby.
- WFD (Winter): The focus is strictly on technical and physical readiness. Since it’s held in January, public outreach is secondary. The goal is to see if you can effectively communicate when the weather is at its worst—simulating a real winter emergency where you might be operating in the snow, wind, or cold.
2. Simplified Classes
Winter Field Day uses a much simpler classification system than the ARRL’s “1A, 2F” alphabet soup. In WFD, you just choose your environment:
- O (Outdoor): Tents, sheds with no heat, or open pavilions.
- I (Indoor): A location not normally used for a station (like a cabin or community center) that has heat and a roof.
- M (Mobile): Operating from a vehicle, RV, or boat.
- H (Home): Operating from your permanent home station.
3. Power Restrictions
Unlike the ARRL event, which allows for higher power in certain classes, WFD is strictly limited to 100 watts PEP. This keeps the playing field level and emphasizes antenna efficiency and operating skill over raw power.
4. Setup Time
WFD has a strict rule that you cannot begin setting up more than 12 hours before the event begins. This ensures that everyone is practicing “rapid deployment” rather than spending a week building a permanent-style station in the woods.
Which one is better?
If you enjoy the social, festive atmosphere of a summer BBQ with radios, the ARRL June event is hard to beat. However, if you want a “hardcore” experience where you have to worry about battery life in the cold and keeping your fingers warm enough to send Morse code, Winter Field Day is your event.
